ANKARA (Realist English). The restoration of the Turkish 10 provinces affected by earthquakes of magnitude 7.8 and 7.6 will cost about $45 billion. Such calculations are given by the business newspaper Ekonomim.
Almost 130 thousand buildings and 384 thousand houses should be bulldozed after powerful earthquakes that have claimed the lives of more than 50 thousand people since February 6.
The estimated cost, which amounts to 843 billion Turkish liras, will cover the repair and reconstruction of residential buildings and infrastructure, including roads, water supply, electricity and sewerage.
“This figure is equal to 30% of the budget deficit for 2023 and almost double the 454 billion lira allocated in the budget for investments in public institutions,” the publication explains.
Industry experts have estimated that the cost of clearing the rubble for each building will average $13 thousand, while the necessary bulldozing of at least 51 thousand buildings will cost $667 million, Ekonomim explains. Processing of crushed stone can cost $265 million.
Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum said that the government will build new houses with an area of 105 square meters for earthquake survivors at a price of $83 thousand dollars per unit, including infrastructure costs.
According to the leader of the Turkish regime, Recep Erdoğan‘ın, reconstruction will begin in March in order to restore the earthquake zone within a year.